Radio access nodes and terminal devices in a communication network

Abstract

According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of operating a terminal device. The method includes operating the terminal device in a connected state with respect to the communication network. The method further includes receiving a first signal from a first radio access node in the communication network indicating that the connected state is to be suspended, the first signal having information for use in determining a first key for encrypting data to be sent between the terminal device and the first radio access node or another radio access node in the communication network if the connected state is resumed.

1 . A method of operating a first radio access node in a communication network, the method comprising:
 sending a first signal to a terminal device that is in a connected state with respect to the communication network, the first signal comprising an authorization token for the terminal device and the first signal indicating that the connected state is to be suspended, the first signal further comprising information for use by the terminal device in determining a first key for encrypting data to be sent between the terminal device and the first radio access node or another radio access node in the communication network if the connected state is resumed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second signal from the terminal device to request the resumption of the connected state; and   sending a third signal to the terminal device indicating that the connected state has been resumed or that an error occurred in resuming the connected state.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third signal indicates that an error occurred in resuming the connected state and further indicates a security algorithm configuration to be used by the terminal device to encrypt data. 
     
     
         4 . A method of operating a first radio access node in a communication network, the method comprising:
 sending a first signal to a terminal device that is in a connected state with respect to the communication network, the first signal comprising an authorization token for the terminal device and the first signal indicating that the connected state is to be suspended, the first signal further comprising information for use by the terminal device in determining a first key for encrypting data to be sent between the terminal device and the first radio access node or another radio access node in the communication network if the connected state is resumed;   receiving a request from a second radio access node in the communication network, the request comprising a request for context information relating to the connected state of the terminal device with the communication network;   retrieving context information relating to the connected state of the terminal device from a memory; and   sending the retrieved context information to the second radio access node.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 sending one of both of the first key and the information for use by the terminal device in determining the first key to the second radio access node.